Readily adjustable gunsling

ABSTRACT

An improved readily adjustable gunsling utilizing a strip of tubular, woven, synthetic material which may be adjusted to any gun swivel and connects at one extremity to a slide member and through a buckle with keeper to the slide member to provide an arrangement which may be tightened and loosened and locked in any position.

United States Patent (72] Inventor Howard 0. Branby [56] References Cited Minneapolis UNITED STATES PATENTS al 32 3 1,072,958 9/1913 Kerr a, 224 1 A 1 Patented July 21m." 2,357,363 9/1944 Smith etal 224/1 A [73] Assignee Trail Guide Products Corporation Primary Examiner-- Robert G Sheridan Wayuta, Minn. Attorney-Schroeder, Siegfried & Ryan [54] gg gg f g GUNSUNG ABSTRACT: An improved readily adjustable gunsling utilizraw ing a strip of tubular, woven, synthetic material which may be [52] US. Cl 224/1 A adjusted to any gun swivel and connects at one extremity to a [511 lnt.CI F4lb 3/00 slide member and through a buckle with keeper to the slide {50] Field of Search 224/1 R, 1 member to provide an arrangement which may be tightened A and loosened and locked in any position.

PATENTEDJULZTISYI 3595451 k\\\ y w INVENTOR.

Howard 0. Branby ATTOR EYS READILY ADJUSTABLE GUNSLING This invention relates to gunslings and more particularly to an improved and readily adjustable gunsling adapted for stability in gun aiming and safety in gun handling and carrying.

Gunslings are well-known and in use. They take a variety of forms and, for wear purposes, are generally made of a leather or similar material which may be slung and unslung for use as a sling or carrying purposes. These prior slings are not readily adjustable and normally employ two-part connecting buckles or similar securing structures which require time to adjust. In addition, these slings are not readily adaptable to varyingsized persons or users and are subject to stiffness and wear which affects use and adjustment of the same. Generally such slings (or the gun to which it is attached) are restricted to a single shoulder carrying position, introducing a certain element of risk in carrying the same.

In the resent invention, an improved gunsling is provided which is readily adjustable from full close to full open position in a minimum of time and to any intermediate position without the requirements of buckles or other securing structure which must be opened and closed for adjustment purposes. This improved gunsling employs a synthetic, woven webbing or material which is readily slidable, has extreme strength and wear characteristics, and yet provides ample friction to keep the sling secured in .any desired position including opened and closed positions. As such, the adjustability provides a slung or stabilizing position for aiming by any sized person and the sling in the open position divides to provide a two-shoulder carry position for a gun to which it is attached improving safety conditions in carrying guns and allowing for the user to engage in varying activities where a single shoulder carry would prevent the same. For example, in present day deer hunting, it is quite common for deer hunters to climb trees and travel over rough terrain where freedom of both hands is required. The two-shoulder carry provided by this improved gunsling, permits such mobility of the user and maintains the gun in a safe position relative to the person carrying the same. It also provides greater protection for guns with telescopic sights, eliminating the possibility of the gun being dropped and the sight broken or knocked out of adjustment. The improved sling incorporates a single strip of nylon tubular webbing or similar material which is attached to a loop slide at one extremity and fitted through swivel loop couplings and a buckle member in a particular manner to be readily adjusted in a closed or opened position and in intermediate positions therebetween. In addition, the gunsling, being made of a fabric material, may be dyed in color to match any wood in gunstocks.

Therefore, it is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved readily adjustable gunsling.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved gunsling of this type which enables the user to employ a twoshoulder carry as the safest way to carry a gun.

Another object of this invention is to provide'an improved readily adjustable gunsling which may be locked in any position and which may be adjusted between full open and closed position in a quick and simplified manner.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached description, together with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a side elevation view of the improved gunsling attached to a gun and shown in the closed position,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the gunsling of FIG. 1 in an opened position of the slihg;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the gunsling in an open position and disclosing the two-shoulder carry for the gun; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the buckle member of the improved gunsling.

My improved gunsling is shown in the drawings generally at and applied to the stock 12 of a gun 15 by mounting the same on pivoted swivel or loop members and 21 which are attached to the butt and forward end of the gunstock, respectively, in a conventional manner. The gunsling is principally made of a strip or strap of woven, synthetic material, such as a nylon tubular webbing, the length of which will be determined by the distance between the swivels on the rifle or shotgun upon which it is used. l have found that a 1-inch tubular nylon webbing with a breaking strength of approximately 3,000 pounds, is a particularly desirable material for the same. The strip or strap 25 of this tubular construction will give ample friction to keep the sling in a desired closed, opened or intermediate position and the material may be dyed to match the wood grain of the stock of the gun. As will be seen in the drawings, one extremity of this strap is positioned around a slide 30 which is generally a continuous piece of metal generally rectangular in outline and with an opening therein, such as is indicated at 32, which is in width dimension substantially equal to the width dimension of the strap. This extremity of the strap or strip is looped over one side of the slide, as at 35, and secured thereto by sewing, riveting, or other means. The slide member 30 may include a divider section or rib (not shown) to separate the sliding and stationary portions of the strip, as will be hereinafter identified, if desired. As will be best seen in FIG. 1, the strip 25 is threaded through the rear swivel or pivot member on the butt end of the gunstock with the slide member being closely adjacent the same and such that the free surface is adjacent the stock. Preferably, the end of the strip of material includes a brass tip, such as is indicated at 40, which tip is then threaded through a buckle or securing member, indicated only at 50. This buckle or securing member is generally rectangular in cross section, having a width dimension at its inner hollow surface substantially equal to the width of the strip. The buckle member is tapered along its extent so that one end has a smaller rectangular opening than the other and the strip is first passed through the small end of the buckle member and out of the large end of the 'same. It is then threaded through the front swivel 21 or pivoted loop connection on the forward end of the gunstock. The tipped end of the strip of webbing is brought forward out of the front swivel and back toward the rear of the gun. The buckle member is positioned about three-fourths of the way up toward the forward swivel along the extent of the webbing located adjacent the gunstock.

The buckle or securing member 50 also mounts a keeper or lock member 60 in the form of a U-shaped loop member which is pivoted on the sides of the buckle member, preferably at or near the large extremity of the same, such as will be seen in FIG. 1. The strip of material of the tipped end of the same is then threaded through the keeper 60 and to slider 30 at the side opposite to which the looped extremity is attached or if a divider is used in the second recess in the slider being threaded down through the slider and in the direction of the gunstock after which it is brought forward toward the small end 52 of the buckle member 50 and threaded through the same. About an inch of the free extremity of the strip having the brass tip thereon is brought through the buckle member or the large extremity 54 of the same and the tip is turned back on the webbing and inserted into the large end of the buckle member making a third thickness layer of the strip of material within the body of the buckle member. Because of the taper in the internal recess of the buckle member, the strip of material will be secured therein and a suitable locking bolt, such as is indicated at 58, may be threaded through a tapped aperture in one side of the buckle member to secure the layers of the strip within the buckle member.

The portion of the strap or strip 25 which extends between the forward swivel 21 and the slide member 30 and does not pass through the buckle member is now threaded through the keeper to be guided thereby and such that the keeper may be pivoted over the end of the buckle member adjacent the same to fold that portion of the strip in contact therewith against the end of the buckle member for the purpose of locking the strip or sling in a locked position. The keeper, however, may be positioned at the opposite end of the buckle member and perform the same function, but will preferably be positioned adjacent the forward end of the stock for ease in operation.

normal to the extent of the buckle member and drawing the buckle member and the strip toward the butt end of the stock to'loosen the same. In this manner, the sling may be opened and adjusted by the user to encircle the use rs arm in aiming for the purpose of steadying the gun when shooting. The sling may be opened or closed to any intermediate position in the same manner and for the same purpose and when carrying the gun, the sling will normally be moved to the maximum open position wherein the strap is loose on the gunstock and will permit the user to'position the gun over one shoulder in a conventional manner. However, for safety purposes, the improved sling may be used in a two-shoulder carry, such as is indicated in FIG. 3, wherein the portions of the strap or strip extending from the forward swivel will be positioned around either side of the neck of the user positioning the gun in a generally parallel position to the back of the person'carrying the same and away from the body. Getting in and out of the sling is simple in that the sling may be first positioned on one shoulder and then by raising the gun butt with the hand, sufficient slack may be obtained in the sling to permit one strap to be placed over the head and down on the other shoulder. To remove the gun, a reverse of this procedure permits a simplified removal of the gun from the back of the user. This two-shoulder carry position of the improved gunsling makes it possible for the user to eliminate the possibility of dropping or losing a gun from a shoulder carry. More importantly, to sportsmen who climb trees or travel over rough terrain while hunting, the twoshoulder carry permits free use of hands to increase mobility and insure safety in carrying the \gun. It also provides increased protection to guns with telescopic sights since it insures that the gun will not be dropped.

The strip or strap is preferably made of a nylon tubular material, but other synthetic materials may be applied. Similarly, the buckle member with keeper and the slider are preferably metallic and of such width and shape as to keep the strap or strip portions aligned to permit ease in sliding for adjustment without wear to the material. The improved sling may be moved from open to closed position in a minimum of time and without requiring u'nbuckling or buckling of any parts.

What I claim is: g

l. A gunsling adapted to be connected to loop pivot connections on a gunstock comprising; a strip of woven, synthetic material; a loop slide member; one extremity of the strip of woven material being looped through said loop slide member and secured thereon, a buckle member with a keeper thereon; said strip of material being positioned in order through one of said loop pivot-connections, the buckle member, the other of the loop pivot connections, the loop slide member and secured to the buckle member; said keeper being pivotally mounted near one end of the buckle member and positioned around that portion of the strip member extending from the other of the loop pivot connections to the loop slide member without passing through the buckle member; and said keeper when pivoted over the end of the buckle member restricting movement of the strip of material relative to the pivot connections. 7

2. The gunsling of claim 1 in which the opposite extremity of the strip of material is secured in the buckle member by folding the extremity over on itself and confining this extremity of the strip in a folded position in the buckle member.

3. The gunsling of claim 1 in which the buckle member is a tubular structure generally rectangular in cross section and having a width dimension slightly wider than the width dimension of the strip of woven, synthetic material and a depth dimension at one extremity greater than three times the depth of the strip of woven material.

4. The gunsling of claim 3 in which the buckle member 18 tapered in the depth dimension from the end in which the folded-over portion of the extremity of the strip of material is positioned toward the opposite extremity.

5. The gunslingpf claim 1 in which the keeper is a U-shaped metallic member pivotally mounted near one extremity of the buckle member and adapted to fit around the extremity of the buckle member to frictionally bind that portion of the strip of material which extends through the same.

6. The gunsling of claim 5 in which the keeper is pivoted at the extremity of the buckle member remote from the loop slide member.

7. The gunsling of claim 6 in which the loop slide is generally rectangular in outline and has an open area therein which is at least the width of the strip of woven material and in depth dimension of at least twice the depth dimension of the strip of woven material.

8. The gunsling of claim 7 in which the other extremity of the strip of woven', synthetic material includes a metallic tip thereon.

9. The gunsling of claim 8 and including screw means threaded through the body of the buckle member and bearing against the other extremity of the strip of material to secure the strip in the buckle member.

10. The gunsling of claim 9 in which the strip of woven, synthetic material is tubular in construction and flattened to strip form. 

1. A gunsling adapted to be connected to loop pivot connections on a gunstock comprising; a strip of woven, synthetic material; a loop slide member; one extremity of the strip of woven material being looped through said loop slide member and secured thereon, a buckle member with a keeper thereon; said strip of material being positioned in order through one of said loop pivot connections, the buckle member, the other of the loop pivot connections, the loop slide member and secured to the buckle member; said keeper being pivotally mounted near one end of the buckle member and positioned around that portion of the strip member extending from the other of the loop pivot connections to the loop slide member without passing through the buckle member; and said keeper when pivoted over the end of the buckle member restricting movement of the strip of material relative to the pivot connections.
 2. The gunsling of claim 1 in which the opposite extremity of the strip of material is secured in the buckle member by folding the extremity over on itself and confining this extremity of the strip in a folded position in the buckle member.
 3. The gunsling of claim 1 in which the buckle member is a tubular structure generally rectangular in cross section and having a width dimension slightly wider than the width dimension of the strip of woven, synthetic material and a depth dimension at one extremity greater than three times the depth of the strip of woven material.
 4. The gunsling of claim 3 in which the buckle member is tapered in the depth dimension from the end in which the folded-over portion of the extremity of the strip of material is positioned toward the opposite extremity.
 5. The gunsling of claim 1 in which the keeper is a U-shaped metallic member pivotally mounted near one extremity of the buckle member and adapted to fit around the extremity of the buckle member to frictionally bind that portion of the strip of material which extends through the same.
 6. The gunsling of claim 5 in which the keeper is pivoted at the extremity of the buckle member remote from the loop slide member.
 7. The gunsling of claim 6 in which the loop slide is generally rectangular in outline and has an open area therein which is at least the width of the strip of woven material and in depth dimension of at least twice the depth dimension of the strip of woven material.
 8. The gunsling of claim 7 in which the other extremity of the strip of woven, synthetic material includes a metallic tip thereon.
 9. The gunsling of claim 8 and including screw means threaded through the body of the buckle member and bearing against the other extremity of the strip of material to secure the strip in the buckle member.
 10. The gunsling of claim 9 in which the strip of woven, synthetic material is tubular in construction and flattened to strip form. 